Professional Documents
Culture Documents
This guidance explains the documents you may need to provide in support of your
application to visit the UK.
Section 4 documents that you should not send in support of your application
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Section 1: documents you must provide all visitors
Valid travel document (national passport or other document that allows the holder to
travel internationally)
Financial documents showing that you have sufficient funds available. These must
clearly show that you have access to the funds, such as:
bank statements
building society book
proof of earnings such as a letter from employer confirming employment details
(start date of employment, salary, role, company contact details)
where a third party (who is either in the UK or who will be legally in the UK at
the time of your visit) is providing financial support to you e.g. a business, a
friend or a relative, documents to show they have sufficient resources to
support you in addition to themselves and any dependant family should be
provided
Confirmation of legal residence, if you are not a national of the country in which you
are applying or your right to reside there is not included in your passport.
Details of employment or studies where you have stated in your application that you
are either employed or in full-time studies. This could include:
a letter from your employer on company headed paper, detailing your role,
salary and length of employment
a letter from your education provider, on headed paper, confirming your
enrolment and leave of absence
Business activities where you are coming to the UK in order to undertake activities
relating to your occupation/employment outside the UK you should submit
documents showing what you will be doing in the UK, including any letters from
inviting organisations. For example:
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any business activities, e.g. letter from your employer outlining the reason for
your visit, who you will be meeting and details of any payment/expenses
for performances and entertainment visitors, whether you work in this area as a
professional or amateur , and what and where you will be performing
Under 18s we strongly recommend you submit the following information otherwise
it may delay consideration of your application.
a Birth Certificate or legal document (such as adoption papers) showing the
relationship between you and your parent or guardian
If travelling unaccompanied or with someone other than your parent(s) you should
provide:
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letter from UK host organisation confirming the arrangements for your research
or exchange
if you are from a country listed in Appendix T part 1 of the Immigration Rules you
must provide a valid medical certificate issued by a medical practitioner listed in Part
2 of Appendix T
Where you are applying for an extension of stay as a visitor for private medical
treatment you must provide the following documents:
that you genuinely intend on donating an organ to a named individual who you
have a genetic or personal relationship with, and that you are either a
confirmed match to the identified recipient or are undergoing further tests to
establish this
details of when and where the planned transplant or tests will take place
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The letter must be from one of the following:
the lead nurse or co-ordinator of an NHS Trusts living donor kidney transplant
team
a registered medical practitioner who holds an NHS consultant post, or who
appears in the specialist register of the General Medical Council
Organ donors also need a document showing that the intended recipient is legally
resident in the UK, such as a copy of their British passport or residence permit. If
they are applying for a visa at the same time, you must provide their details (name,
nationality, date of birth).
Prospective Entrepreneur
Letter of support from:
Failure to provide these documents will prevent subsequent switching into Tier 1
(Entrepreneur).
Work-related training
Professional and Linguistic Assessment Board or Objective Structured Clinical
Examination Tests a letter from the General Medical Council & Nursing and
Midwifery Council confirming arrangements for the test
unpaid clinical attachments or dental observer posts confirmation of your offer
to take up this post and that you have not previously undertaken this activity in
the UK
Letter of invitation from the organisers of each event, setting out dates required and
details of any payments you will receive for taking part.
lecturers/examiners:
publications in a particular field of expertise
evidence of previous lectures given in that field
a letter from your employer confirming where you work and your area of
expertise
entertainers/artists/sports people:
Evidence that arrangements have been/are being made to marry or form a civil
partnership or give notice of your intention to this during your visit, such as a letter
from a registry office.
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Transit Visitor
Evidence that your onward journey from the UK has been booked/confirmed, and
that it is either within 24 hours of arrival in the UK for Direct Airside Transit or 48
hours of arrival in the UK for Visitor in Transit such as:
travel booking confirmation (can be email or copy of tickets)
travel agent confirmation
Evidence that you are assured entry into the onward country that you are travelling
to, such as:
a residence permit
green card
valid visa
If you are not a national or resident of the country of destination, you may wish to
provide evidence of reason for travel, such as:
if you are applying as a family/group you do not need to provide multiple copies
of the same documents
bank statements or letters issued more than 1 year before the date of
application
driving licence
photographs (other than passport photographs required in section 1)
notarial certificates
business cards
hotel bookings
flight bookings
photocopies of bank cards
credit card statements
certificates relating to leisure activities
evidence of car ownership
travel insurance
sponsors utility bills
sponsors council tax bills
educational certificates (unless specifically listed in section 3)
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